Florida Statutes

Fla. Stat. § 817.562 (2025)

Fraud involving a security interest.

✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session
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817.562 Fraud involving a security interest.
(1) As used in this section, the terms “proceeds,” “security agreement,” “security interest,” and “secured party” shall be given the meanings prescribed for them in chapter 679.
(2) A person is guilty of fraud involving a security interest when, having executed a security agreement creating a security interest in personal property, including accounts receivable, which security interest secures a monetary obligation owed to a secured party, and:
(a) Having under the security agreement both the right of sale or other disposition of the property and the duty to account to the secured party for the proceeds of disposition, he or she sells or otherwise disposes of the property and wrongfully and willfully fails to account to the secured party for the proceeds of disposition; or
(b) Having under the security agreement no right of sale or other disposition of the property, he or she knowingly secretes, withholds, or disposes of such property in violation of the security agreement.
(3) Any person who knowingly violates this section shall be punished as follows:
(a) If the value of the property sold, secreted, withheld, or disposed of or the proceeds from the sale or disposition of the property is $300 or more, such person is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(b) If the value of the property sold, secreted, withheld, or disposed of or the proceeds obtained from the sale or disposition of the property is less than $300, such person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
History.s. 1, ch. 79-113; s. 5, ch. 86-161; s. 196, ch. 91-224; s. 1265, ch. 97-102.

Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 817.562

M = misdemeanor · F = felony · degree: F=1st S=2nd T=3rd
§817.562(3a)FRAUDSECURITY INTEREST FRAUD 0+F · 3rd
§817.562(3b)FRAUDSECURITY INTEREST FRAUD LT 0M · 1st
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2 cases, 1983–2005 · leading case: Littman v. Com. Bank & Trust Co., 425 So. 2d 636 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983).
Littman v. Com. Bank & Trust Co., 425 So. 2d 636 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983). · cites it 3× “Both sections specifically refer to "whoever" throughout, clearly not limiting their application to an original debtor under a security agreement.”
State v. Moore, 892 So. 2d 1218 (Fla. 1st DCA 2005). · cites it 15× “Section 817.562, provides in relevant part, (2) A person is guilty of fraud involving a security interest when, having executed a security agreement creating a security interest in personal property, including accounts receivable, which security interest secures a monetary…”
— 817.562(2) — 2 cases
Littman v. Com. Bank & Trust Co., 425 So. 2d 636 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983). “Both sections specifically refer to "whoever" throughout, clearly not limiting their application to an original debtor under a security agreement.”
State v. Moore, 892 So. 2d 1218 (Fla. 1st DCA 2005). “Section 817.562, provides in relevant part, (2) A person is guilty of fraud involving a security interest when, having executed a security agreement creating a security interest in personal property, including accounts receivable, which security interest secures a monetary…”
— 817.562(2)(b) — 1 case
State v. Moore, 892 So. 2d 1218 (Fla. 1st DCA 2005). “Section 817.562, provides in relevant part, (2) A person is guilty of fraud involving a security interest when, having executed a security agreement creating a security interest in personal property, including accounts receivable, which security interest secures a monetary…”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.

This Florida statute resource is curated by Graham W. Syfert, Esq., a Jacksonville, Florida criminal defense attorney (Florida Bar No. 39104). Attorney Syfert regularly handles Chapter 817 matters in the context of fraud and white collar defense and represents clients throughout Northeast Florida. For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.